Gemini Variants
=Main Variants= There are 2 main variants of Gemini which fundamentally change the game. This leads to 4 different versions of 2 player and 4 player Gemini: # Gemini (base game) # Gemini with The 'Gemini' Rule # Gemini with Deuces # Gemini with 'Gemini' Deuces (both variations at once) The 'Gemini' Rule The 'Gemini' Rule is a variation that introduces a special lead called 'Gemini'. A 'Gemini' is a set of any 2 like cards (both Aces of Spades for instance). Any lead can be played as a 'Gemini' (playing both cards) and must be followed with a 'Gemini' in response if available (any combinations of face up 'battalion' cards and/or cards in your hand count as 'Gemini' as well). If one or more players cannot follow 'Gemini', the 'Gemini' is considered broken. An unbroken 'Gemini' has its own order of power that is separate from suit (or Trump) and only goes by rankings. The ranking order of 'Gemini' is: Big Little Ace King Queen (not included with 2 player) Jack Any 'Gemini' of the same rank cancels each other so long as the 'Gemini' remains unbroken. All cards played to a 'Gemini' lead are laid separate from each other to determine who wins the tricks. Both tricks are tied together and whoever wins, always wins both tricks. Below are examples of laying 'Gemini' down: If 'Gemini' is broken, the tricks separate for the purpose of determining who wins. Any player that breaks 'Gemini' (cannot follow with 'Gemini') must still play 2 cards. The first card is played as if one twin of the 'Gemini' lead was a normal trick, i.e. suit must be followed or it can be Trumped, etc. while the second card does not have to follow suit and can be a throw off card. Once all cards have been played, the first trick of a broken 'Gemini' will determine who wins both. This is determined by normal rules of play (who follows suit or if Trumps are present) even though 'Gemini' sets were played regardless of suit (or even after 'Gemini' was broken). Examples of Playing Gemini Example 1 (2 player, Clubs as Trump): 'Gemini' Aces are led, the caller must follow with 'Gemini' Jacks (Left Bauer's). The Aces win, regardless of Trump or suit considerations and take both tricks. Example 2 (2 player, Clubs as Trump): 'Gemini' Aces are led, the caller doesn't have 'Gemini' and breaks 'Gemini'. The suit of Diamonds has to be followed with the first card while the second card is a thrown off card. The Ace of Diamonds takes the King of Diamonds, winning both tricks. Example 3 (2 player, Clubs as Trump): 'Gemini' Aces are led, the caller doesn't have 'Gemini' and breaks 'Gemini'. The caller also doesn't have any Diamonds. The caller can Trump the Ace of Diamonds with a low Trump and throws off a low card. The Trump wins both tricks. Example 4 (4 player, Clubs as Trump): 1st seat leads 'Gemini' Aces (north in the picture). 2nd seat follows with 'Gemini' Jacks. 3rd seat follows with 'Gemini' Kings. 4th seat follows with 'Gemini' Aces. Because the 'Gemini' was unbroken, the two 'Gemini' Aces cancel. The 'Gemini' Kings are the strongest remaining 'Gemini' and take both tricks. Example 5 (4 player, Clubs as Trump): 1st seat leads 'Gemini' Aces (north in the picture). 2nd seat follows with 'Gemini' Jacks. 3rd seat does not have 'Gemini' and 'Gemini' is broken. 3rd seat follows the 'Gemini' suit lead (Diamonds) and throws off a low king. 4th seat follows the 'Gemini' lead with Aces. Since the tricks are separated, only the first trick counts and follows the normal rules. The second trick does not count in regard to who wins both tricks. Its as if the Ace of Diamonds was lead, 2nd seat threw off, 3rd seat followed suit and 4th seat Trumped. 4th seat gets both tricks. Example 6 (4 player, Clubs as Trump): 1st seat leads 'Gemini' Aces (north in the picture). 2nd seat follows with 'Gemini' Jacks. 3rd seat does not have 'Gemini' and 'Gemini' is broken. 3rd seat also does not have any Diamonds and can Trump the first trick. 3rd wants to make sure to gain both tricks and Trumps with the Right which will win for the team even if the Right gets cancelled (there is nothing left that can beat the Ace of Diamonds). 4th still has to follow with 'Gemini'. 3rd seat gets both tricks by trumping the Ace of Diamonds. Thus 'Gemini' leads can have layers of strategy behind them. Even though the 'Gemini' themselves only counts as rank, if it becomes broken the suit and rank both count. Leading the strongest 'Gemini' (Big Jokers) allows those who break it to follow suit with Trump (most likely over-Trumping) while responding to a 'Gemini' Ace lead (a very strong 'Gemini' lead) with 'Gemini' Big Jokers is the strongest play possible, beating the rank of Ace and are also Trump if the 'Gemini' set is broken (excluding No-Trump situations, of course). Deuces Double Deuces introduce new cards that are unique to Gemini. While Jacks can cross suit within the same color (Right and Left Bauer), Deuces cross suit across color. The 2 pips on each Deuce are of different suit and color so the Deuces turn out to be Spade-Heart, Spade-Diamond, Club-Heart and Club-Diamond. There are, of course, two of each (with different backs). The Deuces drastically change strategy. They are the 'spy' cards of the realm and count as the highest Trump (spying being very valuable on the battlefield). They replace the Queens (4 player) or Kings (2 player) in the deck unless your playing '9 Card' (see below). Trump order with Deuces is: Deuce (Deuces of Spades shown) Right Left Big Little Ace King (not included with 2 player) Queen (not included except with '9 Card', see below) Remember that there are 2 of each so there are 4 Deuces of Trump, 4 Jacks and 4 Jokers. Where the strategy takes a twist is that Deuces are 2 suited until played, meaning that they have to follow EITHER suit. Once played, they follow suit. Aces are the royal guard of the realm and many a spy has been caught by the royal guards. Side suit order is: Ace Deuce (Deuces of Diamonds shown) King (not included with 2 player) Queen (not included except with '9 Card', see below) Jack (opposite color of Trump only) Thus a lead of a side suit Ace (of opposite color) can force a Deuce of Trump to follow the side suit AND take it at the same time. For instance, if Spades is Trump and the Ace of Diamonds is lead, the Deuce of Spade-Diamond would have to follow suit as a Diamond (if there is no other Diamonds) and would become Non-Trump for the trick. The Ace of Diamonds would beat the Deuce of Diamonds and the Ace (royal guard) would effectively have killed a 'spy' of Trump. When No-Trump is called, Deuces (spy's) are very valuable although Aces (royal guards) still beat them. No-Trump order is: Ace Deuce (Deuces of Spades shown) King (not included with 2 player) Queen (not included except with '9 Card', see below) Jack Big Little If a Deuce is led, it must be declared which suit it is lead as, although Trump can always be assumed unless otherwise declared. Deuces must also follow a 'Gemini' lead (when playing with the 'Gemini' rule) if either suit of 2 Deuces match. For instance, a Deuce of Spade-Diamond and a Deuce of Club-Diamond would have to follow a 'Gemini' lead as Diamonds. 'Gemini' order is: Big Little Ace Deuce (Deuces of Hearts shown) King (not included with 2 player) Queen (not included except with '9 Card', see below) Jack 9 Card '9 Card' is a 4 player variant that uses all Gemini cards: Aces, Deuces, Kings, Queens, Jacks and Jokers (44 cards total). It can be played with or without the 'Gemini' rule (2 variations). Each player gets 5 cards in hand with 2 'battalions' each for a total of 9 tricks (with 7 cards under the turn-up card). The calling partners need to get 5 tricks while the 7th and 9th tricks double their score, following normal scoring. =Rule Variations= Many rules can be preferred to play a different way. The following gives the variants and some reasoning behind them. Jokers Up The Joker is never turned down. During the first round of calling, any suit as Trump can be called (as usual) but the Joker is not turned down for the 2nd round of calling. If any player wishes No-Trump during the second round, they must order the utility card (Joker) into the dealers hand. This variation birthed itself during 2 player play. Calling or defending No-Trump as the dealer is problematic because of the strength the opponent has with the lead. Thus the Joker's ability to guard against an aggressive lead makes it a handy card to have. 'Jokers Up' is highly recommended, especially in 2 player. Take All Any time there is an odd trick at the end that doesn't give points, the 'Take All' variation would give double points for the last trick (everything but the '9 Card' version). 2 player 'Take All' scoring: 4 player 'Take All' scoring: Sometimes when taking all tricks while not being rewarded for the last trick leads people to try the 'Take All' variation. Note that this can end the game very quickly if someone gets lucky. In the 2 player game the last trick is 8 points for the caller, while in the 4 player game the last trick is 8 points if going alone. Deuces drastically lowers the odds of 8 point hands, it is suggested to use 'Take All' only if playing with Deuces. Note that '9 Card' can have 8 point hands (going alone and getting all 9 tricks) but Deuces are automatic and 'battalions' give surprise that can't be calculated. Battalion Flip If discarding from a 'battalion', the dealer can choose to replace the 'battalions' face up card with the turn-up card (as normal) OR take the turn-up card in hand, discard from the 'battalion' and flip the 2nd 'battalion' card over instead. It is sometimes prudent to find out what the 'battalion' cards are as soon as possible, especially when looking for something to defend a call. The 'battalion flip' rule gives more choices to the dealer.